Dark Hunger
by Darling Drusilla
Summary: Rivick ends up on the Kublai Khan with their haphazard little family and more than words are shared. Frye decides to team up with the wrong side of things and River finds out exactly where she has to go to find her ancestral home. Meanwhile Riddick is tired of getting caught up in someone else's head game. #DarkFury #PivotPoint #2ndStep
1. Chapter 1

She would like to avoid sand for as long as she could. This was something River thought on as she lay half awake in the Beast's den. Sleeping silent until she awoke, then his mind was alert, waiting and ready before settling into a calm state. Wasn't until she turned to face his chest that he calmed down once more. Weapons had been located, reaction plans figured; didn't need them yet. Was just thinking about things he didn't want to deal with. Wasn't thinking on them, contrary to the his thoughts.

Merely thinking on something other than sand. Would need to repack if she left for someplace cold. Would need to repack either way. Didn't know what lay in the Sidhe system, planned only to stay on New Mecca until she'd got enough coin to move on. So much to learn and study. So much. Company ruled everything here, but not under one banner. Separate systems and governments, their own laws but not a one without the law of The Company. Made it difficult no doubt.

"Wanna share what goin' through that brain of yours?"

River looked over at Riddick and shrugged. "Making lists of things to research to hide more effectively." He looked at her with a brow raised. "Have already read what is going through the ship's minds. Will seek prey of make predators out of those who would join them. Know his growls for what he is, no use to be a devil when they hunt for Beasts."

"Voice analyzers?" Not sure if he got it and worried that he did. Slight resignation when she gave him a look. "I don't fuckin' know what you're talking about half the time."

"Honest, she must give him that." River sat up and gave a delicate sniff to the air. The filtering system had taken care of enough, but there would be the lingering scent of her skin. The smell of his hands and his mouth invading her mind until she shook it from her head. "Must focus. He may find it amusing, but it will give away more than we'd like. If Shazza and Jack can smell sex on us, then certainly the mercs can as well."

"Not very scared of them, are you?" He was still laying back on the bed, arm cushioning his head as he watched her. "Been hunted, I know, seen you go huntress on em, but you're just not scared of them, are you?"

"She is more scared of where they would take her. Would take him too, if they could." River lay across his chest, smiling as his hand rose to twine in her hair. "She...I must try very hard to keep my mind clear for this. I'm not sure if they have records on me."

He was thinking things over too. Thinking on the model, figuring out where the docking bays would be and how easily they could nab a ship and take off. Wouldn't leave those he'd been bound to by experience and by words. Important to him for reasons she would never know, the book was broken and God was cruel.

"Maybe have to go back to how we were." Riddick's voice made her cheek vibrate against his skin. "Big bad chasing around little girls. Old enough to pass Ali off as your son, only barely, but enough."

"Would be better for Shazza and Imam to claim him as their own. Skin tones imply much, his affection would be more obvious if sh-I, took him for mine."

"One big happy family," Riddick offered. "Your sister got married, took you and Jack off your drunk daddy's hands and now you watch your brothers. Except he's actually yours, just doesn't know it."

"_Da shion la se la ch'wohn tian_! Forgetting the stone pilot," she gasped. She tried to sit up, but his hands were deep into her hair and she was kept against his skin until they untangled. Didn't go far, took her place and held his face with her hands. "She will destroy everything. Can't keep it quiet, won't, can't kill her either. Won't work."

"I'm regretting putting her on the skiff."

Minds flipping over and through to figure out how to calm her down or get her to cooperate with them. Too likely to start hunting them if they left her there, couldn't kill her for being stupid though. Did she know where they would go? Would she hunt to find them? No, maybe not.

"Calm down," the beast spoke beneath her. "Gettin' agitated, makin' my nose itch."

"Sorry," she shook her head. Shook pieces into place and pulled hints of an accent into her voice. Easier to copy than to make herself focus her mind. "Never had much luck on my side of things."

His eyes narrowed slightly and he wondered if she could make it higher pitched, could she fool a voice modulator with her talent.

"Never tried," She shrugged casually. Took on the accent Shazza had left behind "Never had to try. Suppose I could trick 'em for a bit, but Frye'd tell them the truth as soon as we got out."

"I don't like it," His lips twitched. Didn't like the voice. Went against how he knew her without scent or sight. Didn't like the fact that it was useless now either. Another time they mighta been able to keep quiet, but with the little bird singing in the back.

"If you respond, they'll know who you are, and come with a full security force. I'll respond to their hails, I'm smaller. Better known for her abilities to blow something up and rudimentary actions."

"My." He was correcting her speech patterns.

"My reputation is idealistic, rebellious." She leaned forward until their noses touched. "Safer for them all."

"Puttin' your neck out for me aint' exactly genius Riv."

"But it is crazy," she kissed him quickly. "Air is nearly cleaned, will have to tell the others within the next hour...Frye is running her gorram mouth."

He chuckled beneath her and his hands rest on her waist without the need to run them across her skin. Just the need to hold her. Was shifting away from the idea of holding a woman; worried her. She didn't desire to become a happy family on a rock, she could have done that on osiris, ignored the summons and married her father's business partner once she reached her majority. The beast wasn't thinking of dens though, wasn't thinking on dragging her with him or following her, merely holding her. Having a link with humanity, however tenuious it may be.

"Thinkin' much?" he asked her. Had guesses to what might be going through her head.

"Too much," she nodded. "Will focus on what is now and put my clothes back on. Otherwise we will not have the time to plan and share out knowledge with the others."

"We could," he argued. He was watching as she leaned over and pulled her clothes from the edge of the bed. "If we didn't care about the smell."

"Which I do," River rolled her eyes. "Not ashamed of sexuality, Not worried the others would find out, just don't wish to put it on display. I have been on display for enough people in my life. Under the glass like a bug, sticking in pins and dye to see what she does next."

He was still watching her. The Beast didn't think she was on display, this was his alone to watch. Things meant for two meant private. Wasn't judging her or testing, but admiring the curve of her back and the tumble of her curls. All the things he could never have but had tasted for just a second.

"Toss my pants up, will ya?"

River smiled when they hit him in the face. Let her do it, she knew, but the sound he made made her laugh all the same. Made her squeal when he pulled her back towards him, faster than she, and held himself over her. Playful today as they lay naked in the darkness, jumping as fingers made muscles jump and he kept her giggling. The man under the sand was smiling at her and pulling the girl who was further into being. Reminded him that he wasn't all bad, wasn't all beast, wasn't required to watch her ass unless he wanted to.

~!~

"Wondered if you two'd killed each other," Shazza smiled over at them. She was grieving, but she was pushing it down as far as she could. She'd taken that hard ass, wise-cracking, soldier-girl thing to a new level. The kids were still sleeping, sharing a cryo bunk as they recovered from the strain of last night. Imam was praying again, doing the same thing as Shazza even as he gave thanks for the lives that were saved. It was only Frye who looked unhappy with everything. Course, he knew what it was like to be chained up by people you hated.

"What fun would that be?" he asked. "Seems to be a bit of a rumor that we've got something coming our way. Something a bit, unfriendly."

"Something worse than you?" Frye asked. She'd gone a bit sour in her scent since the partition had opened up. Then again, maybe it had been that way since she woke up. "I don't believe it."

"Don't need you to," River hummed as she adjusted her gear. Her blades were being taken from her belt and slid into her boots. Keeping them out of sight and at just the right place they might not be felt if she got frisked. Might be fun to test. "Had they not been advancing, I would have been happy to stay up front until we reached New Mecca. But they come to the call sent out, and we must take what we need from them."

"What kind of unfriendly are we talkin' on?" Shazza asked. "The kind that can give me a bath before they kill me? Or the kind that's likely to just sort of kill me?"

"Mercs," Riddick answered instead. "Might be the stand-up shiny kind, might be the kind who'll slave you out. Bad news for us either way."

"Slightly better news for the rest of us if it's the first kind though," Shazza shrugged. "So how long do we have until they reel us in?"

"Four hours," River hummed. "More or less depending on the patience of their pilots. All slept longer than is usual, but it is for the best to be rested. I must change your bandages now, please and thank you."

She drifted past him, kicking her scent up as she went to sit beside Shazza with her haphazard med kit. Pulled her hair up while they were getting dressed to expose the back of her neck and the ties of her blouse. Riddick decided to head over to Imam. Not a whole lot of room in this ship, so it only took a few steps to get to the holy man.

"Think you can deal with another life changing event?" Riddick asked him.

"I must," Imam answered. "If they are, as you say, shiny mercenaries-" River's voice carried over and corrected it to bounty hunters "-then there is every chance I can escape with the children and miss Shazza. I do not wish to offend you or your...River, especially after all you have done, but I must make sure we survive."

"Not offended at all," Riddick shook his head. "I'd do the same thing. Was thinkin' though, maybe you and Shazza could say you're married. Might keep you together, keep the kids safer than if we just wandered. Course, we got an issue, don't we?"

Frye glared at him and tested her restraints once more. Not a chance in hell they'd give.

"I see," Imam hummed. "Caroline, I do not hold a grudge with you for what happened. We are safe now, and you did make every effort to help us survive." There was the guilt. Priests always had a way of bringing the guilt out of a body. "Perhaps now, you could work with us again."

"Fat chance," Frye scowled. "As soon as they pick us up, I'm signing on."

There was a silence in the skiff. Only the sound of wrinkling paper and bandages being wrapped were heard. The pilot knew that would make her the enemy of a few people on board, but she was doing it for the attention, not the fact.

"Well, that gives me every right to slice you open, doesn't it?"

Riddick stood and the woman on the ground actually flinched a bit. Scent was all wrong though, only kind of scared, bordering on triumphant. Lot of lust getting mixed in too. He moved back towards her and leaned against the wall before his fist shot out.

And connected with the cryo controls.

"Gotta wake the kids up for school," he turned around. Away from Frye and her little head games. "Survival 101."

"You're not putting a gun in their hands," Shazza shook her head. "Or a knife. Are you?"

"Course not," River snorted. "But they do need to wake up and learn what is coming for us."

Riddick leaned back against a wall and watched as the kids woke up. Imam was trying to talk to Frye, to get her to atone or seek absolution, didn't matter in the end. Place he was gave him a real good view of everything. Let him see just how good River was at dealing with kids. He could keep 'em safe, teach 'em how to fight maybe, but reassurance? Emotional comfort? Better off talkin' to a wall. Shazza was slipping a tactical knife into her boot, something older and reeking of blood. That tingle told him it had been through the war. That it hadn't seen the light of day for the last seven years.

Riddick wasn't bothering to hide his shiv, it'd be grabbed off of him anyway. It was the knives he'd grabbed up from the colony that bothered him. Reasonably nice set, needed a bit of sharpening, but not something he wanted to give up just yet. Riddick shook his head. He was starting to get attached to things; He'd be attached to people next.

"You're not as much of a hard ass as you think," Shazza whispered over to him. Quiet enough that most couldn't hear it unless they were paying attention. Riddick merely raised a brow. "Got this whole thing going on, yeah, but you might want to watch those reactions of yours. Too detached from everything, makes it easy to tell when you aren't."

"I'll keep that in mind."

She nodded and leaned back against the wall of the ship. Her eyes drifted shut and the foxhole nap was under way.

~!~

River was unconcerned with the litany of curses and oaths that spilled from her lips as they were pulled in to the merc ship behind them. A whale compared to a clownfish, could have been a luxury cruiser, but it wasn't. Riddick was beside her, trying to manage his part of the skiff's controls while she attempted to break free of their Anti-LS field. Turning off the life support to force their prey into submission. Beastly, wild, didn't bode well for them at all.

She jerked and floated as a grapple punctured the wing of their skiff. Wasn't as large as Riddick and her weight was less since she turned off the grav-generator to conserve power. River pulled herself back to her seat and anchored herself down, using her legs to make a brace between the console and the edge of her seat.

"Critical systems failure in five seconds...four seconds...three seconds..."

"_Go hwong tong_!" River shouted at the machine. "_Tian di wu yowng_..."

"Two seconds...one second."

The ship went dark and River scowled at the control panel. Fury was racing through her mind and impatience with those who would dare to hunt her like an animal. Fear was going through everyone else's. Except for the Beast. He was waiting, fingers drumming in front of his face as he still wondered where his could hide his knives and still get access to them later. Priorities. Priorities...waiting on her to give them a read on who or what was coming through the door in a few minutes.

"_Unidentified craft, state your purpose and contents."_

River followed the voice back, a little more concrete with every repeat of his question. Tall and twisted. Officer of the big shiny merc ship, hid the dirt and darkness of everything under glass. Operative, formerly, not hers but his, and glad to be out in the field doing what her loved. Fighting, causing pain, grinning in the blood for his mistress.

"_Unidentified craft, state your purpose and contents."_

"Name's Johns." Riddick answered the call after her words hushed through the cabin. "My ship got scrapped on a transport run. The only other survivors from that whole mess are with me. Outside of that, we got nothing."

Doubt.

"_Tell me, Mr. Johns, what brings you to this lonely corner of space?"_

"I'm a bounty hunter."

Should have told him he was looking for work.

"_Then it appears we have something in common."_

Calculations and algorithms told the truth of their contents. Didn't hear her voice, only his, only saw his bounty on the screen. Not too high. River looked over at him for a moment and couldn't help the grin on her face. The ship began to move, being reeled in like a fish and still she smiled before giggling.

"Nearly worth more than he is," she laughed. "Four thousand stronger than her."

"For political reasons," Riddick waved it off. He stood from his seat and grabbed up a half empty liquor torch. Ali hurried over to where she sat and climbed up into her lap. Needed comfort and calm, needed the scent of a mated couple to bring his animal mind peace. The torch was set on fire and held up to the fire sensor; impressed the holy man with his cleverness and Shazza was surprised he was actually going to do it.

"No offense, but I don't think that's gonna cut it against whatever it is that's coming for us," Jack spoke up.

"Don't need it to," River pulled a rebreather from the emergency kit by the console. She handed it over to Ali before offering one to Jack. The girl shook her head until Shazza grabbed it and pressed it into her mouth. "Only need to distract them. To bring them here so the rest of the family can flee if they need to."

"Hold your breath," Riddick gave the order. Extinguishing foam began to rain down upon them, filling the space and causing panic for only a moment. Frye had been loosed by the holy man and her panic was perhaps the sharpest of them all. The children could breath, Imam was being careful, and Shazza had given up her gun to keep the idea of helpless damsel up. Wanted to use it, to distract the mercs until they saw her as a threat over Sarge's girl. Wouldn't work though.

The foam filled the skiff completely as the merc's arrived outside of their skiff. A release fo pressure and surprise as one of them touched the amorphous shape that spilled out. Riddick felt the ripple against his skin and shot over to where it had come from like a spider. Alarm, fear, the feel of blood coming into the field of safety. Felt another by her side of things, hid mind beginning to panic and scream when her hand shot out and pulled him in. She gave a quick stab into his spinal cord, severing awareness from life with Riddick's extra shiv. Base weapon doing what it was meant for. Women were all around the edges, waiting with guns aimed.

Had to breath sometime.

One breath. Sent the thought out to everyone in the skiff, hoped it would worked and nearly smiled as they dove and went for it. Attacked by the rage and greed of the mercs. Couldn't take another breath without being at risk. Port, starboard, one-two-three go! Didn't worry about his safety; was his own to maintain and he was very good at it. Focused instead on taking out those who saw her face and knew who she was. Smiled at what she saw in their minds.

Worth twice what the beast had one his head. Not for long, but long enough. Turned her mind to the dance of it, to the motion it would take to free herself and them until they could run to another ship and flee. Not too far to go, could hear it in Ali's mind as he breathed and peeked out to see where they were. Nearly had his head taken off as she took the one of the woman in front of her. Kept to the shiv, to the weapons grabbed off of the mercs, wouldn't show her hand.

"I wasn't expecting this," the man spoke from his pedestal. Junner, dark and twisted with death and blood. "But you certainly know how to make an entrance."

Ignored him. Useless, wouldn't kill them without an order from the mind behind him. Female, worse than Junner. Noblewoman looking for a hobby.

"That's nothin' scarecrow!" Jack popped out from the foam. Only had eyes for the Beast. "He's gonna kick your ass so hard-"

Shazza's mind jerked her back in, scowling and frowning as Junner's mind clicked into place. Would take a hostage; read the reports on Richard Beathan Riddick, knew he had a soft spot for kids. Pushed over to the foam and grabbed her. Not her but Her! Looked young, she knew, soft white gauze and sweet little thing put her as a child in their eyes. Not fair at all until she read the scent his mind had picked up. Nothing overt or obvious, but the primitive side of human minds knew. Barely human.

"I think not," Junner called out as the beast came to rest at his place. "What do you say?"

River could have shot him. Could have pulled her gun and landed a bullet between his eyes without missing a beat for daring to touch her. Showed the hand though. Pistol was hidden behind leather that would not tell. The mind up above was watching still, knowing now why River's warrant gave precautions and labeled her a threat. Not so much of a threat if Junner could claim her; claimed everyone eventually though.

"Call off your lap dog," the Beast called up to her. "Before his trying to impress you gets him killed."

Kept his hand on the merc's throat, letting him suffer for what he did. Didn't know the full truth, but he could smell the crime on the man's skin. Didn't care to watch him, instead watched as a woman in white approached them. Making an entrance of her own, pride chafing to see one younger than herself, affecting the same hues and playing the Beast's game with him. Grabbed her attention as well. Illuminated the girl called River Tam as something a bit more than just a terrorist. Still not on the Beast's level though.

"Am I so Obvious?" The woman asked.

"Call it what you will," River answered for him. "Tell him to stand down, now." The rest of the family was out of danger, could fire upon him without fear of hitting them. No wish to end his life, but the girl would if a favorable answer was not given. If the man's blade did not leave her skull she would share the contents of his. Red was his color, could paint the room with it.

"You'll have to excuse Junner's excitement." The woman in white was increasingly full of herself as she disrobed, less skin to show than the girl, but more provocative and less sweet thing. "It sometimes makes him a touch...quick." Wasting time, showing them power she didn't truly have. The will of the mother over her child. "Though I can't say I blame him. You see, he's just heard so much about you, Riddick."

River spread her mind out and read several mercs coming closer. Running out of time to take care of the man and run.

"Yes, I know your name. Quite a bit more about you, I think." Her attention was on River though her eyes stayed on the Beast. "Of course, there's always surprises."

"Careful," Riddick rumbled out. "You mind find what you're digging for."

"I'm willing to share, of course, but I must ask that you surrender your weapons...before any more of my apparently overpaid associates...come to an untimely end."

Wanted the control she could never have. Gallery owner, waiting for the desperate artist to sell for less than he was worth. Priceless, didn't she know that? OF course she did. Floated along the river for another second and scowled. Too late. Out of time to take care of it now and fast. No way to run and no place unaware of their presence. Told him, let him know that the time for physicality was over for now.

"Mmm, not gonna happen."

So stubborn. Junner squeezed the trigger a hair tighter, fear blooming throughout the cabin as he did so. The other's still in the foam, waiting and watching the world through a filter. Frye concerned for the type of person she would sign on with. The foam was falling apart now, dropping it's load down to the steel grated floor and flaking away into dust. The boy who wasn't and the boy who was theirs resting first, closest to the bottom while the other three followed suit. Waiting, watching, listening for their fate.

"The girl" Riddick began. "Is nothing to me."

Ali was watching with fear greater than on the planet. Beast were beasts, but men were cruel. Faith that she would survive because she had to. Faith in a thing that was lost in time but young eyes meeting her own. Don't worry. Don't look. Don't listen. Would be home soon. Riddick's grip tightened ever so lightly at the actions of Junner; stupid name.

"Then enlighten me," Chillingsworth began. A viper in the grass, waiting for mice and slithering about her treasures. "Why would a stone cold killer such as yourself go to all the trouble of keeping the likes of her alive? Unless of course, you've grown attached."

Watching him, waiting for the answer they wanted and the one they feared.

"Cover story," the Beast rumbled, "nothing more. You shoot her now, and you'll be saving me the trouble."

"Don't fucking listen to him," Frye's mouth opened, spilling bile and destroying the game. "That's his fuckin' wife!"

"_Tian fan di fu_!" River grumbled out. "Has less sense than a box of hair. _Ai chr jze de duh fohn diang gho_..."

Junner began to squeeze down on the trigger, mind full of the rage he would face to shoot the Beast's mate. Too much mercy, letting the blonde live amongst human beings. Letting the fool use her to paint the room instead. A single action, a flash of thought and the rifle was sent upwards and away from her head. Triumph and new plans for them all. Gave their hand like they knew she would, but what now, how would they adapt to fit out the door...

"Now just ain't the time," Riddick rumbled out.

"Perhaps not," Chillingsworth smiled wickedly. Would have them both for her private collection and torture each before the other. "Lock them down. We're done here."

~!~

Dumb bitch. Riddick was really starting to rethink saving her silly ass. At least now she was off getting processed and tested by the mercs. Real shiny outfit they had runnin' here, probably nothing too bad. At worst they'd train her to be a decent shot. Thought he'd finished with women's head games, but now there was a third one added in. One knew how to fight, one had a fuckin' army at her disposal, and one did anything to survive. Brilliant.

Now he was being cuffed again. Still dirty, still covered in blood and dried sex, last one wasn't so bad, but it itched and he was getting really annoyed as his day progressed. Never could have a good thing goin' without something to bring it crashing down. He'd been frisked, checked over, watched as a female merc did the same to River. Didn't find anything on her though. Didn't check too carefully either. Either way. The kids were chained together, Jack holding tight to Ali's hand while the other two were tiredly used to this kind of thing. Been off of earth for years and still getting profiled, one for being near them and a browncoat, the other for being a bit darker than the rest.

His final strap was tightened and he couldn't help the grin. River was scowling up a storm as they cuffed her and chained her to his gurney. Cute when she got angry, real cute. Didn't like the chains so much, too many people around for that, and too much of a risk that he'd say something and get choked for it.

She obviously didn't agree with that. Had an idea that she'd rather have him as he was before the memory of last night flickered up. Riddick laughed out loud at that. Maybe the day wasn't going so bad.

"Quiet down," a piggish looking merc called out. Been leering at the women since he saw them, even Jack, especially Jack. The rumor of his 'wife' was floating through though, and now all of them were glancing over at her, wondering if they could even try to get a hold.

"Inside joke." Riddick tapped a finger to his head. This kind of fear and unease was the kind he liked. Right up his alley.

They started ushering them along through a hall, guns pointed at those mostly free to keep them moving. Didn't give River or himself much of a choice, but then, doing so would just result in a lot of dead mercs. Not exactly something he wanted to deal with without a shower first.

"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" Imam asked quietly. He was watching the bodies lining the walls. Kinda like glass coffins, putting everyone on display. River was having an issue or two, mouth drawing tighter and that glassy look fluttering into her face and wooly in her scent. Kept her eyes off of everything except him and he doubted she saw him at all.

"Merc ships?" Riddick asked. "Plenty. Just trying to figure out how it all goes together."

"A plantation operation," River hummed softly. Not quite creepy, but certainly unnerving. "Used to carry colonists, out to the forgotten worlds, far from house to make home. Animals on one side, people on the other. Took it's pay in things that grew in the dirt..."

"Merchant rig's don't usually harvest people," he agreed. More for Imam than anyone. Ali knew what this was. He'd been on one before, as a colonist probably, but he knew every place to hide and how to get them all to safety once the shit hit the fan.

"Captured bounties on one side," Shazza gestured. "Contracted manpower on the other."

"Just add heat." Jack was still holding on to Ali, but she was fascinated now. Kept glancing at him too. Glances all around and a twinge in his nose and in his head. Getting woolier than before and that tingle was fading just a tiny bit.

"Must be a special kind of desperate dick signs on to this," He spoke. The rifle to the face wasn't pleasant, but it served to get River back in reality and the tingle of her mind in his came back and mellowed out. Turned into a soft hum instead and thanks were fluttering around.

"Shut up!" The merc shouted at him. Got a happy feeling from it all.

"You're the exception of course," Riddick sniffed to get the blood in or out. "For you it's life experience."

They were slowing down now. More scents coming in, exactly four, two female, two male. One of the women had a thing for the other and the men were too focused on money or violence for either.

"So what's the plan?" Jack asked. "It's not like we haven't gotten out of worse. The way I see it, we can take these jerks-hey!"

One of the women had grabbed her by the shoulder. Not too gentle, but not mean either.

"This is where we get off princess," she started pulling. Shazza was cooperating with them, doing her duty while the CO's went to negotiate. She was ushering Ali along before the bigger merc could pick him up.

"You too preacher," the remaining man waited. A bit of respect for the cloth, but not too much.

"I will pray," Imam nodded to Riddick and River both.

"Useless," River hummed again. Gave a little stumble when they started to wheel them off in another direction and that wooly feeling was coming back to her. Stronger this time, bit more chaotic.

"I won't leave without you Riddick!" Jack shouted. "I'll find you!"

She was going to get herself killed if she followed through with that. He had the feeling she'd try too. For all that she's been Robin's sister on Hades, she'd clung to him whenever River wasn't around. Followed him, watched him at the worst times, and then took on his appearance. He'd have to ditch her as soon as they hit dirt. Couldn't let her keep going like this; one crazy woman following him was enough.

Hardly following him. That cool hum was focused again, but it was still fluttering every so often. She was only vague insulted by his words. Only crazy when she was crazy, and only following because she couldn't choose not to. Sure. Whatever she said. They were coming to a room now. The mercs were drifting off as he was wheeled in and set upright, River pushed into the room in front of him and stumbling again. Getting awful crazy.

"Set him down and leave," Junner instructed. Stupid fuckin' name, Junner. Didn't seem to match the room they were in. Chilly, and filled with things that weren't quite statues.

The straps were released, but the cuffs hadn't come off of himself or River. Instead they got linked up with maybe two feet of slack between them. River was bouncing between crazy and not now, made him worry a bit that she'd go killing machine and take everything out. She was following him down the steps though, trying to cling and focus on anything around them and having too much trouble. Riddick thought on that chain between them, more than words, right? An actual link putting them together. Didn't need another liability; didn't want to chop her hand off to get them out.

"Does not desire to become the Venus," she huffed. Good.

Riddick paused in front of one of the statues and River was thinking real hard on it. On the thoughts going through it while Riddick wondered if she'd finally snapped or if her had too. The damn thing had a scent.

"Killer of Men," she sang out. Made the room a bit creepier. "Furya."

Weight to those words, even she knew it. Didn't register to him what was so odd until he touched the lip of the statue and got licked for it.

"The hell..."

"Kiss kiss," she laughed lightly. She was not making this room better. "Pay him a copper now, else Popeye will come for his dues."

Didn't have time to come up with anything to say to her. Junner had injected him with something and the pain took him to his knees, River tumbling down beside him and letting out a whimper to match his own growl. Sick fuck was getting off on this. So was his mom, sitting there with a glass of wine on the edge of her seat. Bodies making the creepiest gazebo he'd ever seen and possibly less clothes now than she'd had before.

"All right. Now you have my attention."

"A necessary precaution," Chillingsworth shrugged. "You attempt anything uncivilized, killing me, for instance, I detonate the explosive charge Junner's just implanted and sleep very well tonight." She stood up with a sway and approached him. "Walk with me."

"Not putting me on a pedestal," Riddick told her as they moved along.

"Of course not," she looked at the both of them. "You two will be strictly for my...private collection."

"Hung like a Picasso," River sighed as she followed along, trying not to get a read on the people around them. "Has a new idea for those she's claimed, new layout plans for a frozen garden."

Chillingsowrth turned and looked at her with a cold smile.

"Indeed I do. Now that I have a matching set."

"You go through all the trouble to catch these guys and this is what you do with them." The Insanity of this woman was quickly out pacing River's.

"You're missing the point," Chillingsworth shook her head.

"What point?" Why not kill them and turn in the bounty? Why let them sit, frozen and unaware save for that one guy back by the steps...two...four..seven other furyans in cryo and knowing they were here. River was trying to focus again, but the hum was spread out now, finding other minds and making Riddick dimly aware of them. The mercs were becoming dimly aware of his silence and of River's flickering eyes. "You got a million UD's standing around collectin' dust."

"You underestimate their value, Riddick." Chillingsworth had he hands on one of them, one of the seven others that was tryign to chat at River and making her move every so slightly towards Riddick. "They are priceless. Each, at one time, the most wanted man or woman in the known universe." She inhaled and let out a shuddering breath. "The number of lives ended at the hands of those living and breathing in this room is incalculable."

"Hardly what I would call living," River scoffed at it.

"I imagine you wouldn't, River Tam...or is it something else now?" The woman was draping herself over the frozen Furyan and Riddick had to bite his tongue. Didn't need anyone finding out about this shit. Didn't want to blow the whole fuckin' joint either.

"Just the same, I assure you they are all very much alive. Each one sustained in state of cryo so profound..."

"Vulgar," River corrected. "And primitive."

"That seconds seem weeks…" Chillingsworth gave her an icy stare. "And to blink an eye is a day's work. The brain, however, continues to function unimpeded. The mind continues to think and feel, swarming with whatever dark thoughts it's trapped alone with, as it will be for hundreds of years." Riddick was picking up a fervor in her scent, not wooly, but fur that was matted with blood. Turned something that was probably beautiful into a rabid beast. "So much more fitting a fate than dropping them off at the nearest slam. Here, they are appreciated for what they truly are, transformed into objects on par with their lives' work. And why? Because I gave them the audience they so desperately desired, the recognition they bought with the blood of others. I understood their actions, stripped free of moral convention. Don't you see? They're something greater now. Something more than they ever were before...Art."

"Hardly," River countered. She didn't say much more than that.

"Lady, your taste sucks," Riddick summarized.

"I expected as much," the woman pursed her lips. "I thought to become your muse when you boarded, I even dressed up, but you seem to have one already."

She turned away from them and began walking towards a smaller room. Junner just behind Riddick and River, pushing them forward with his ego and the gun he still had in his hands. Stupid name, and a stupid gun. The room they ended up in was a bit creepier than the one they'd come from. Two women stood at the head of a large mattress, holding the legs of a woman as she arched to the middle at met with a man in a pained kiss. His legs were held by two men at the foot of the bed, like some kind of twisted fairy tale this lady dreamed up.

"Rest, for a moment," Chillingsworth ushered them in. River's cuff released her and she started to go wooly for just a second as his released as well. Too many minds and now they were in the room with the other Furyans. "I think you will like the surprise I've planned for dinner."

Chillingsworth left the room and the door slid shut behind her. Seemed to ease River somewhat, having a wall between here and the screaming minds behind them. Hundreds of people stuck awake in cryo couldn't be fun for anyone.

"Wants to watch a show," River whispered. "Wants to see the artist in his natural form, and roll about in the silks as he watches, frozen, above her."

Riddick raised a brow at her and went about the room. Pretty big, so far as bedrooms went. Had all sorts of things in it, but nothing very useful. Take more time to make a shiv than to just wait it out.

"She comin' back soon?"

"Not until she gets her show." River pointed at the wall opposite them with a stone face. "Always a spectator." She pointed to three more places and the blink of a camera flickered in each. "Sitting, waiting, wishing she was in the girl's place and scowling because she knows the truth."

"Classy," Riddick snorted. He came a bit closer to River, wanting to know about the other bodies that would be watching them. Why were they special? What had they done? She was swaying again, moving to some sound he didn't hear so he sat down to watch. All but dancing through the room from place to place, opening doors and looking a panels, light switches. Good.

The lights went down and the sound of the cameras was clearer as they shifted to another spectrum. He could see them now, the eyes of the people above him. Eyes to match his on three of them. Shine job, maybe, but he had the feeling they weren't. Just like he had the feeling his weren't either.

"Thinks to become mother Nyx," River hummed as she joined him. Took her seat on his lap and leaned closer to whisper into his ear. "They watch unwillingly, brothers and sisters of Furya, fourth planet of the Sidhe System." she placed a kiss beside his ear and moved to the other side, blocking Chillingsworth's view of his face and mouth. "Remember how to get to Somnia, how to get home."

"You got your people watching over you then?" Riddick turned to kiss her neck, gentler than he might normally. Something about this wasn't right, outside of their audience, and he was wondering if he could give a show. Being peered at and studied like a bug... "Get what you mean."

"Starting to," she agreed. Her lips were still on his skin, shifting only when she spoke and making him more aware of what was around them. "Knows the planet he was born on, that her family hails from, wants to study them."

Took him a good second to figure it out. Wasn't letting himself focus too much on her skin or her scent, was trying really hard to keep up pretense so they could make a plan. This was new though.

"You sayin' we're next to our countrymen?" he pressed his lips to her collar bone. Nipped the skin lightly before letting his teeth show for the camera. Still made her gasp though. "Some kind of thing I should know about?"

"Arcane ritual," she breathed, her hands rest on his shoulders and she leaned forward so her hair hid them from sight of everyone. "Mate before a council of elders to solidify bonds between tribes. More than words of union."

"Whole fuckin' verse is out to get us," he rumbled. "They know?"

"Knew since they walked into the room." River leaned back and her hands entwined behind his head, watching him and nudging him to start undressing her. The only way out of this thing was backwards.

Fucking fuck him. Some kind of performance piece the ice bitch wanted to watch before she killed them off. Didn't have faith in words, but in this, River Tam was about as skittish as a rabbit. Meant something to her and to him, even if it was arcane. The top slipped down her skin and he paid more attention to her than the room and the women and men around them. How could he not? Lookin' like an angel in the devil's own lap.

"You feelin' okay?" he asked.

"Feeling many things," she leaned forward and kissed him. Soft and delicate until he bit at her lips and pulled her to fall onto the bed with him. "Must trick the evil queen to free our people."

"Many things," he gave a sour smirk. "Not worried about her."

"Shouldn't lie," she kissed him again. "Not if you can't do it better than that." He growled at her for that. "Of course she knows what you're speaking of." Her hands ran up along his side, sliding under his shirt until her let her pull it off of him. Demanding little thing, River Tam. "Words are for birds, Richard, Beathan, Riddick." Each word so soft and hushed that he heard them more in his mind than any place else. Pushed further into his head with each kiss on his skin; she was trying to push reality from her mind as much as he was.

Riddick pulled her just a bit higher onto his waist and pulled her head just a bit closer to kiss her a bit harder. Couldn't have this teasing bullshit, too much time for his head to wander about this place and think about how he was going to kill the fucker watching him.

He kissed her until she was the only thing he could taste, remembered all of the things he wanted to do to her in that room back on Hades and couldn't. Felt her humming back against his mouth and in his head, pulling bits and pieces from this or that and lighting them up, bringing them forward until it was just them. Them and thought and feel. The weight of her in his lap, the soft skin in his palms and tightening between his fingers as he pinched and toyed with her nipples. Every sigh and coo she made had him thinking of making them louder. River gasped as he bit down on her shoulder, not enough to break skin or cause pain, but just enough that she was his only audience now.

She was under him then, under and all around him as her arms and legs twined around his waist and shoulders. She was starting to get that blue light under her skin, but so was he. Slipping the skirt off would have been a lot more hassle than it was worth and River had already shimmed out of her panties. Something naughty about the whole thing, fucking her half dressed, boots still on while in someone else's bed. His pants were pushed down below his ass and her skin was perfect against his dick.

The skirt went to her waist and it brought that beast inside closer to her. The smell of her, of him, of them, was spread out across her skin and his and pushed him over that line from man to animal. Sliding in made her moan and her nails dug into his skin when he pulled back out. Perfect and hot, holding on and taking all he had to give while his name fell from her lips. Her pulse fluttered under his lips, matching with his own like their hips did. Hotter and tighter, begging him to be what he wanted to be and screaming for who he was until he let go. He stood upright and watched as River moved on the bed, fists holding tight to sheets for some kind of anchor to the real world and every curl clinging to sweaty skin. Watched her pale skin against dark sheets until he met with her eyes and everything changed.

Riddick slammed into her until words stopped coming out of her mouth and all he could see was fury blue and River. Roared out to match her and all he could feel was white pleasure and River.

When he fell, bracing himself above her smaller shaking form, he knew something was different. This was different than a couple of words in the desert. Just as barren and inhospitable, but more was at stake this time. It was a helluva lot more than a pep rally and even though those bastards above them were stone still and silent, he knew they were judging he and River both.

"Feels like every time, I'm just a bit further away from being a man," he grumbled against her shoulder.

"Not supposed to be civilized," she spoke against the Beast's skull. "Not supposed to be. Neither Beauty nor Beast walk in reality, storybook pages and fairy tales...a room full of them, more than a kiss before the court."

He couldn't figure it out, but he would. Eventually. Already there was a stirring in his mind and the blue joy was mixing between them all. The six above them and even out to the seventh in the conservatory. Crude cryogenic stasis deemed inhuman for subjects, cast aside in favor or the kinder version. Left minds awake to judge and decree.

"The court finds neither wanting," she told him softly. Liked the feel of his skin under her lips, smooth and prickling at once. Tried to bite it and gained only a chuckle. "Wrong actions for the wrong head. Time to get up soon. Will come around once she has bathed and take them to opposite ends of the room."

"The white bitch?" He turned when she gave him a look; felt it on the back of his head. "You know I ain't talkin' about you. Even if I was, probably just call you my bitch." He kissed her and the blood rushed about in her head and made her swim from it. "Then again, I kinda like callin' you Beautiful. Fits."

"Never been called as such before the Beast came along," she admitted. Didn't know why she felt embarrassed or shy about such a thing. Didn't make any sense at all. Thought she was cute now, couldn't see the blush but could see the way her blue adjusted beneath her skin. Kissed her again and it got worse. Had seen so much of her already, places few had ever been or would ever be again, but to share such as this made her unsure.

"We live through this, you'll hear it a lot more." He was pushing himself up and giving a glance to the ones watching. The woman had gone away from her false wall to cleanse herself and change, leaving only to Furyans.

"Had better," she started to push herself up. "Else she will burn his dinner and soil his clothes."

"Only 'cause you can't cook," he bent and tossed her shirt over. "Probably can't wash clothes either."

"Can he?"

There was no answer for that, only amusement and grins as they redressed and cleaned up as best they could. Let it spread across the sheets and over the fine linens. Seeds could not grow without the right system...both paused at once as a thought fluttered through shared minds. Not shared on purpose, but closer now than before perhaps and thoughts such as those were loud and screaming. Grew into things that walked and talked.

"Must hurry," she reordered her thoughts. Couldn't sit and contemplate variables for a later date. Needed to go in and see how to get them free. Find out where the release button was to let their people go. Too far from the one with the key; all they knew was pain and needles to keep them frozen. "Will separate from him after act two, take the children into the ducts to find a suitable ship."

"And?" Knew that was't all. Thinking on why the words meant so much and wanting them from criminals and his own kind rather than some merc bitch who wanted to mount him...and mount him.

"Serum to release cryo can't be far." She looked around them room. Seemed a foolish thing, to place them in her room, just to roll about in stained sheets and hope a child would quicken in her barren womb. "Apologizes."

Not to the Beast, who caught her when she began to sway on unsteady limbs, but to the ones above and in front of her. Needed to see what they'd seen and the only way back was in. Different views, different ideas and hatreds spilling over and still she swam forward, careful not to disturb too much and to dodge those which held no use to anyone. Made contact with them, with the women who'd watched and found him appropriate. Gentle and blue, guiding her along until she found what it was she needed. Pushed her up and out of the river made by streams. Back into her own head and into the Beast's arms; sat scowling above her, unhappy with what she'd done and wondering why the hell he kept on with a crazy girl and why everything had gotten so fucking complicated.

"He likes that word," she tried to push herself up. "Fuck."

"It's really fuckin useful," he helped her to sit. "Can't have you goin' wooly like this Beautiful."

"Didn't, dove, sought thoughts in the stream until she found the stone she needed." Took another moment to stand fully and hurried steps stumbled as she went to the vanity. Code had been memorized so well by those who watched that it was second nature to punch it in. To pull it out and move back to the bed and strip the stains away and to the floor.

"You must have a helluva thing for cons," Riddick spoke behind her.

Still helping her though. Held her by the waist as she injected the top most female. Softer, more lightly boned than the man she'd been kissing for years. Fell from her place to the soft and supple, not quite able to move under her own volition, but the Beast pulled her out of the way and River injected the highest man. Riddick pulled her quickly from the bed, out of the way of the large man and far from another beast. Not aware of the second part, not fully. Took the gun from her then, jabbed the last four quickly and then tossed it to the first woman who'd awoken. Let them deal with the Killer of Men.

"Don't suppose you thought on how to hide that we just took her bed apart?" Riddick asked her.

"Door isn't locked," she waved it off. "Guarded before, not now. Junner has gone to wash Mommy Dearest's back."

Disgust in the all, six minds resigned while the seventh, Her Seventh, wanted off of this ship yesterday.

"Must go rescue the family," she hummed. Reached up and out to touch his face and blooms in her chest when he pressed ever so lightly into her hands. "Must take the lead now, and she will fall back and watch his six."

"Not a doubt in my head." Kissed her hand and walked out the door. Knew she would follow or go her own way; either would be beneficial to one or both of them because they had been so far. Left the others behind them, bringing themselves back to reality and watching as the set left them to survive or die. Smart enough, strong enough, could find the docking bay and leave or get things prepped for departure.

River followed her beast out, swaying and trying to hide the limp he always gave her. Wasn't the same as last time. Something different about an act without words and too much meaning. The limp wasn't the same either. Wasn't a secret to hide but a study under glass.

"Feels a film on her skin," she hummed out as they wandered through the gallery. Eyes on her form, noses smelling sex and madness creeping in to her mind with aching slowness and grubby fingers. Grabbing at her ghost until her swaying made her unsteady. "Wool will not gather, builds up in her head and catches fire. The girl is on fire and the shadows hold no relief for them."

The Beast took her in hand and shook it away, light but firm enough to get it out of her brain and affix her to the now and to him.

"Don't make me leave you here."

Leaving her would mean a corpse on the cold ground; only way he'd actually want to. Only way he could right now. His mark, his tribe, newly forged bonds and the words of arcane rituals ringing in her ears and his instincts.

"Will endeavor to focus, but they scream in her ears, grab at the ghost of her in their head and know what she watched because they can smell it in the air." Tried not to lean into him, to let him be the Beast and thr brute, but there was nothing else for her. No anchor to tie herself to other than him. Let her lean but didn't hold her close; they were watching. Waiting.

"You with me?" he asked, still held firm to her biceps, didn't want to shake her again, didn't want to keep dealing with this. Chillingsworth was judging from the shadows.

"Always," She whispered. "But she is mad now, reading too deeply as she clings to safe harbor."

The Beast growled and gave her a life raft. A memory that tickled in the back of his head that he wanted her to go find. Go look in the stream of his consciousness. Hide away if she had to, but he needed her with him and watching his six; no lies. Never lie and never feel pain.

He felt her starting to look in his head. Actually felt it. Not that tingle, because the tingle felt like something was a bit wrong. Like he might actually need a doctor or some asprin real soon. This was...different. The scent of madness took a backseat, still there, just like it would always be, but there were grapes around him again. Fuckin' grapes.

Let her loose just a bit to see if she stayed that way. Thank god she did. The white bitch was coming closer, been watching them for a while now but this was the moment she chose to leave the shadows. Different dress now, and some expensive soap or other, didn't make him like her any more. The fat that she was showing more skin didn't endear her either. Nothing wrong with older women, but this one looked weathered, cracking like her head. River stayed close to him as he walked through the conservatory and closer to where Chillingsworth was waiting. Wanted off this fucking ship and he knew he wasn't done 'performing' for this bitch.

"Riddick, I am glad to see you are refreshed, but perhaps I could convince you to come with me for a moment."

Riddick raised a brow and the maiden swimming in his head didn't seem happy about what was in store for them. In fact, she was getting pretty damn pissed off by whatever was floating around in the merc's head. Had to follow her though. That was the direction he picked up at the end. They had to follow her and they'd be really pissed by whatever it was they found. With Junner grinning like a fucking idiot and holding another set of chains in his hands, Riddick was damn sure he was probably going to fucking hate it.

* * *

So, this one is probably only going to be three chapters at most. And that's only because I'm involving Serenity's crew into it and a day or so on New Mecca. Still haven't decided if Riddick is going to hide away on the ice planet or tag along with his twice made wife to the Sidhe system. Jack's still going to end up in prison though, in case you were worried or wondering. Still debating if River goes back and lives up to the title the Alliance gave her.

For those of you who might not know, Sex has a definite smell to it. And! if you have Netflix, there's this documentary called "The Science of Sex Appeal" that you should watch. It's where ig to the grapes and her smelling him part. But can anyone deny that they just like the scent of someone?


	2. Chapter 2

River leaned closer to the secret as the Beast and the Collector bantered back and forth. The secret of what had been kept running from her and from the surprise sneaking out of Chillingsworth's mind. Afraid to come and show the truth, for it's presence would change the beast into osmething else. Something he didn't want to be and something she didn't care for. The upstanding leader with a dark and dismal past and the honor of a nation was not one she needed. Had enough of upstanding morals and of lighting the way.

"You see, Riddick, there is a fundamental difference between you and I," Chillingsworth teased out. The secret was hiding just behind her lips while the struggle of the tribe echoed out through steel and seal. Loved her games but hated to play.

"Yeah, you're a psychopath," Riddick's rumble was factual. Not like his self proclamations, at least, not so extreme in method. All demonstrate psychopathic behavior, was the way of things. All demonstrated schizophrenic tendencies, was the way they made things. Made her. Her mind jerked back when pleasure was gained from Chillngsworth and the Beast growled in her head and summoned moments ago, hands were wrong.

"You don't appreciate art," Chillingsworth clarified. Pride and hunger fr that she would have in a few moments. "But I belive the reason for this is something different than you might think. You're an artist."

The beast shook himself from the Collector, willed his skin and his hairs to fall back into place As he gave the woman a measuring look. Saw another level of crazy than had been before. A level unfit for human consumption.

"I've been called a lot of things in my day," Riddick shook his head lightly. "That ain't one of 'em."

"Manages passable stick figures," River hummed. Looked at him and then the wall. "Reasonably sufficient at mapping out locations for tactical reasoning."

"A sculptor, a performer, has no need for such mediocre methods," Chillingsworth gave River a cold look. "You should know this River Tam. Though your skills are not in creation, not like Riddck's." Mind switched, dismissed the girl and returned to the new piece. "You, who shape it with your own hands, carve it from flesh and bone." Chillingsworth back away and began towards her throne, laying out upon it as Caesar though she was little more than a dust mite in the sands of time. "But a man like you does not understand such a thing by being lectured. You must experience it."

River knew the intent of the man behind her as the chains slipped about her neck. Not to harm, but to taunt the beast. To keep her away and close at once. Be calm, be still, let them push her out to where her child was waiting with wide eyes and fear in his mind. Too visions of mothers in chains, enslaved and sacrifical as the lamb in her arms.

"Don't look," River hummed as she was set to stand with Ali upon the over sized ball. The beast was growling in the cave. Taken what was his and placed upon a pedestal not of his choosing, too far low for Ali to stand on his own, must hold the child in her arms for the pleasure of the Collector. Didn't care for the composition at all.

"Miss River," Ali whispered against her neck. Burrowing in for comfort and safety as his arms held her tight round the neck. Nearly misspoke and showed his heart. Not yet, not now. "I am scared."

"It's alright. Everything will be fine. Already the Beast has taken his prey from the gentry." River put her cheek against his head, uncovered now and revealing a little tumble of curls he'd not yet shaved clean. "He is coming soon. Close our eyes and our ears and become as stone while the Beast hunts. Will guide him in the dark, promise."

"I believe you," he whispered. Eyes shut and listening to the sound of her heartbeat against his ear.

"Must hold tight when she tells him, Vital to survival." He nodded against her skin and Gave a look to Jack and to Imam and to Shazza. The first was joking around, proving that she could find Riddick no matter what. Dangerous. Very dangerous. The second prayed, wished and hoped; didn't know wishes were bad. The third was waiting for anything. Hoping for death and dreading survival as she yearned to breath and cursed any who might try to take her.

"What do you want?" His rumble calmed Ali only barely and the ire was spiking in deepest red, the red that pulsed in the deep organs.

"To watch you work." Too obvious, but she needed to say it for her own ego. "I've spent the latter half of my life observing fantastic things. The work of terrible men, men such as yourself but it's always after the fact when the moment of bloody creation is cold and passed." Her mind flicked it's switch again. Away from the collector and back to the spectator, thirsty for blood and anguish. Wanted to destroy the man before she set him in his frame, to see him squirm as his clan fell. A tragedy in blue. "That changes now."

River was curious to see those which would come from the doors. So many things in this sector that had been slain by the men and women of her own. No mystery left in her corner of the verse.

"I need to see it Riddick." Chillings worth needed to know if her tragedy would play out. Not as she expected. River would see to that. A surprise ending. "I need to see it happen."

"I get outta here alive, you'll see it again." The Beast leaned close to the woman, enjoyed the nerves his presence worked up before they turned, hungering for the pain the Collector craved and would inflict upon him behind closed doors. "This close."

"Spoilers," River hummed. She set her cheek against Ali's head and let her eyes drift shut. Sweet and serene, heard a thousand reflections of art lost; Paris would have killed for any of it. True and false and all for show.

"No, Riddick. I want your masterpiece." She tossed a blade to the floor, weak and dull, for show more than anything else. "An artist is nothing without his instrument."

"Hush," River whispered to the child in her arms. "Hush and feed your fear to the flames, forge it into conviction. Must mind her now. The time to run is soon. Need her boy to listen and learn." Hope, a blossom of it in his heart and mind, bringing that truth closer to his lips. "Must hold tightly now, She must retrieve something for the Beast."

They were watchign the beast, too confident in their own machinations and in the creations of man to mind the hostages. Didn't see as she brought a leg up and pulled her kit from the leather. He knew, was waiting for them in the darkness but couldn't toss them just yet, paying too much attention. Watching him dance.

Terrible dancer. Simply terrible. Heavy footwork, wasn't lazy but neither was he trained to be delicate. Not like she was. Didn't focus on keeping his battle lightweight in his Academy, Strike with Force, do not hide on the stage and tiptoe through the ball. Too big, too mean, too much to try and hide and train to be small.

River paid no mind, instead keeping a single hand on the chain to her collar and making sure Ali was still held firm against her. Shfited to flick the lockpick into her hand under the guise of keeping her boy steady. Electronic lock, more complex than a standard, but not so difficult as the ones on Serenity. Laughable even. One to three, four to five, five finger discount and not a soul to see it happen. Too focused on the Beast who fought and minding only his work. Far from a masterpeice just yet.

"Hold tight," River whispered again. "The world is turning."

River flipped them, wound her legs about the cable and clicked the collar shut once more. Ali held tight to her, eyes still closed as his mind filled with sunny days on swing sets and the laughter of his brothers. All things bright and beautiful as she moved them up. Still hadn't noticed yet, but they would soon. Need to get hi into the vents before that happened.

One to two, three to four, a few seconds more and there they were.

"Kublai Kahn," River whispered. "Nkows the ship, the model number. Find the docking bay and keep to the shadows love."

Another kiss to his head and the grate placed back by little fingers. Good, were about to notice she was gone. The Beast was wondering and shaking it from his head. Wouldn't wonder on the survival instincts of a woman. Would trust in them to keep her ass safe though. So crass. River slipped back down the cable, pausing at just the right height to stay in shadow too deep for Chillingsworth.

"Needs his claws," she whispered out. Pulled his blades from where they rest in the back of her skirt. Up against the waist, surprising that the female hunter hadn't spotted them. Hadn't tried too hard either. The beast took them up before they touched the ground, tossing his inferior brush into one of the creatures. Shrill. Stupid name. Like Junner. Possibly why he liked them. Didn't matter now. Looking for her like the others and surprised that she would remain. Intrigued to see what gift she would drop to the beast next. Wanted to know how she knew his location and where the hell was the boy? Minds whirling and twirling before refocusing on the main character.

Would accept co-star.

Would fix Shazza now. Simple enough, far from Jack and Imam who huddled together. Flying through the air, catching the cold steel that held the woman and filling her with fear for a bare moment before she heard River's breath and soft hum coming closer to her. Dark curls and dark curls, metal and metal until it clocked and Shazza slipped down the side of her orb and hide behind it. Waiting for orders. The merc's gun wasn't too far from where she wait, trickled the news in, fed her the location and the model until Shazza moved and took it in hand. Once more, fly once more to where Jack and Imam waited. Saw her now! Junner could see her, pointed her out to the woman who watched and saw the leather that had held Riddick's blades covering her _pi gu_ as she worked. Cut them loose and let them slide to the ground. The world was changing again, upside down and the downside up. Make things smooth again through the thoughts and readings of others. Couldn't see where she was, where he was, but she could See and smell him in the darkness. Could read the reactions of the Collector and her son. Over to him, hushed footsteps light and swift as she fluttered over. All shades of violet and blue in his eyes and increasingly beautiful as she struck through the tenticle that held him. Handed over her blade and played the role of assistant as he went forward. Grab up the res of the brushes, don't let the paint dry.

A death wail and a flash of light. Curtain call but one was missing. Two unseen. Flummoxed them all for she was the dancer and keeper of secrets. Beast knew, had an idea at least. Quite close to truth. Moved closer to him, kept her back to the Collector who clapped and praised.

"Give me the knife," he spoke calm.

Collected. Had a plan, wanted to shock her and make her feel fear. Handed him the terrible knife he'd been given with little worry as she slipped the sheathe for his true blades from around her waist and began to strap it over his shoulders. Were watching, Collector and son, wondering if she was doing wifely duty or being a good assistant. Learning from the master.

"Such a complete and thorough performance," Chillingsworth gave a cat like smile. "It only leaves one question."

"Only the one?" River asked the woman. Slid blades into the leather and peered at the woman from behind the Beast. "See many plot holes. Many pieces are missing from sight and Act Two has not yet begun."

"Is that so?" Chillingsworth asked. "Well then, perhaps you can perform such an act alone, it would give me time to think on how to mount you beside your husband."

"Mere words," River waved her away. "Doesn't she know? The second act starts with a bang."

"What are you..." Saw now. The beast was slicing through flesh to pull the explosive from within. The deep and bright fire of a man's hatred for life and hunger for money and power resting between the Beast's fingertips. "No!"

"You gonna keep that?" Jack asked. Keeping things light.

"Abstract is not art," River called up to the Collector, nearly made her pull the trigger in surprise.

"We will see about that!"

Bang, crash, run through the door and fire your weapon upon those who would wait and fume.

~!~

Special kind of crazy, doin' shit like that. Still didn't know what she'd done with Ali, but he didn't smell fear or death or blood, not a trace of guilt as they sailed through the halls with purpose. Jack wasn't having such an easy time of it. Cramping, bitchy, getting pulled along by Imam while Shazza watched their backs with a pulse rifle. Looked better on her than a shotgun and that need to live was burning brighter now than it had before. Good, he didn't need a fractured team.

"Must split apart," River spoke beside him. "Not a place for so many, too easy to find and follow."

"That why you sent the boy off?" Riddick asked.

"Safer with Chiana than with us," River nodded. River was drifting around them, smiling as her knives glinted in the safety lights. Who the fuck was Chiana? He figured it out in a humming flicker from her. The woman they'd freed up first had been waiting above the pit for orders. Had Ali and two of the others with her while the rest were hunting. "Found a ship, waiting to strike or fly as they will it."

"Perhaps it would be best," Imam agreed. The man was having more trouble as times went on. Too much adrenaline in one day wasn't good for the heart, especially not his. Riddick could hear it struggling in his chest.

"No way, I'm not leaving you behind Riddick!" Jack shouted. Fancy words considering she was flailing just to keep upright. Trainees didn't belong here and Jack shouldn't be a trainee.

"I'll get them to the ship if we can get directions," Shazza offered. Felt the same as he did about it all.

"Imam, You take off with Shazza. Jack, go with them-"

"No, I won't," she argued with him. With him until she died and that was not a responsibility he fuckin' wanted. "I can fight, I can learn."

"Will go to their central cortex," River hummed. "Wipe their data, husk them out and rob them blind. Let them know why she is wanted."

"Ditchin' me?" Riddick asked. Wasn't so sure about that. One thing if she'd gone off with the others to make sure the ship was in order, some assurance that he'd have a ride waiting and wouldn't need to go and find her. Didn't really need to though.

"Delaying the chase a bit," she kicked off towards a maintenance vent. "Switching gravity on soon, best to go skyward now, before they must struggle to hide."

Shazza and Imam didn't waste time getting in, but Jack was their problem child. She wasn't moving an inch and a part of him kind of liked having someone to teach. Hated it too. She was too young to learn this shit. Fourteen wasn't the ideal age to learn when to kill a man, no age really was. Maybe she'd seen it all, the real fight and get scared away. There was a higher chance he'd find out Ali was actually his and River's kid...

"Must make haste now," River hummed from above him. Hanging from a shaft opposite the one Imam and Shazza had escaped through. "Steal from the rich and give to poor us."

She leaned forward just enough to give him a quick kiss before the gravity kicked on and she pulled herself in.

"You're not on the ship, I'm hunting you down," Riddick growled. "Your head might get me a golden ticket in the Anglo Sino."

"Might," she agreed before sliding the grate into place. "Let's hope it won't."

Riddick looked at the girl who remained with him. Trying damn hard to get into his good graces and didn't know she was there already. Damn kid.

"Got one speed, my speed."

"Got it."

~!~

"Miss Tam is...quite the young lady," Imam whispered as they moved through the maintenance shafts. They were taking a small break, one to calm his heart and lungs while the other assessed what she kept thinking about.

Shazza had the feeling that the miraculous thoughts that kept popping into her head were something more, but it wasn't until now, when the stats of her companions and logistics of the ship popped up that she had any real conviction about it. River Tam was Sarge's girl, but she was also a government trained assassin and apparently a reader on top of it. Certainly explained the crazy bits, but so did havin' a chunk of her brain removed. No matter, having an internal call list was damn useful. Almost like playing a game.

"Couldn't expect any less of Sarge's girl," she started moving again. "Ideals and conviction, plus the talent and skill to make things happen? If I enlist again, I'm going to try damn hard to get her in my platoon."

"Enlist?" Imam asked as he followed her. "You are speaking of the Rim Rebellion?"

"Part two," Shazza nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Boiling up again after seven years, might be considered the same war in the history books. Things work differently back there than they do here. Less freedom and a single government ruling over six solar systems."

"A unified rule does have it's benefits."

"Also has a helluva lot of drawbacks. Know why I became a surveyor after the war? To give settlers better options for life. I found at least seven Class M planets before coming here, perfect for a steady life, didn't even need terraforming. You know what they did? They sent settlers out to the Class J rocks with hardly a shovel to dig a hole."

"Why would anyone do such a thing?"

"To keep loyalty steady, turned the ones we found into government facilities or day spas for the wealthy." The kind of thing Shazza's dad went to on a regular basis and she could have gone to if she hadn't broken away from it all. "So yeah, I'm all for another war, and if River needs help getting rid of a few buildings, I'll help set the damn fuses myself."

But first, she would get a ship prepped and make sure the kids were mostly alright. Get off at New Mecca and drag Jack along if the girl needed it done. Knew exactly where she'd drag the kid too. Off to the Anglo Sino sector and the Sarge's new crew. Shazza'd always been pretty damn good at running communications back in the day; most people had more than one job before the massacre ended and hers was talking and headshots. All things considered, Shazza was luckier than most. Even now. Husband dead and running for her bloody life on some gorram hunk of _gou se_ beat out running drugs or landing in the clink.

"You alright then?" she asked as they got closer to the rendezvous point. Ali and the tiny crew River and Riddick had freed up were supposed to be waiting at an upcoming intersection. Damn shame they were going to blow the ship after all this; wasn't half bad as a transport and it was reasonably clean.

"I am quite well. Though I worry for those behind us."

"Just keep praying, yeah? Get the feeling we'll know if they fall."

The maintenance tube opened up into the intersection room. About the size of the watershed back on Hades and holding eight other people inside already. Had an eerie sort of resemblance to the duo, the men especially with their glowing eyes. But Ali looked healthy and happy enough, pointing out their location and various places that, if blown, would completely debilitate the ship they were on and take out most everyone in cryo.

"Miss Shazza! Imam!"

~!~

"Hello darling." Watched the female commander fall and gave a smile to the man by the computer. Fully aware of the blood and the grit on her body. "Best hurry before the beautiful bald bastard is caught by someone else."

The man gave her a look, measuring and deciding she was too crazy for him to chase. Much too crazy for him to flirt with, and hardly worth the bother. Didn't like to hunt women down, though he'd never admit it. Left the room through another door, kept his eyes on her the entire time until the doors slid shut and locked.

Silly man, wasn't a place that could hold her yet. Useful though. Screens glimmered to life and locks overloaded, broken by power surges and clever thoughts. Took for the rich and gave to herself. Robin Fey of Avalon was born, into a small family in the capitol of Camelot. One sister followed soon after and a son of unknown fatherhood...and lots of money from their parents, temporarily held by one Antonia Chillingsworth. Ones and Zeroes shifted to make her impending death less questionable and Junner...kept his stupid name, even if he died soon.

"Lots of shiny, cashy, money," she hit the last key. "Need a ship though..." Flickered through and found the comm where they waited. "Chiana, would ask that they claim the Swordfish and Bebop, please and thank you."

"_Got a model number for them?"_ The voice of the other furyan woman was cautious but confident. Trusted her, found nothing wanting even if her mind was a mess and he didn't know any better. Made the girl feel better and worse to know she was supposed to hear thoughts; wrong training.

"Bebop is an Aught 3 interplanetary fishing trawler, largest engines and faster of the larger ships. Slightly smaller than a Firefly." She could hear Ali's little mind buzzing all the way up here as he recalled little details and facts about their new home. Didn't know it would be a home just yet though. "Swordfish required for the Beast, wanders about as he will."

"_That they do,"_ Chiana's voice laughed up. _"We'll get them secure, but the boys want to know if there's any orders."_

"Play as you will, but make sure to be back within fifteen minutes."

River closed to circuit and went back to assigning the ships to new owners. Richard Reynolds was born and gifted and ran away before the war broke out, taking dad's ship with him. Bebop would go to Paris P. Oglvie, purchased on New Mecca four weeks ago and inherited by the young Ali. Finally good for something. Data set, transferred, ones and zeroes comfortable in their new home and happy to help as she rigged the bridge to go up in flames and give a shower of sparks. Alarms would sound and fires reported in seven other sectors while she smiled and heard them run towards the damaged zones to save their bounties and their comrades only to find themselves dead to the world.

"Bang," she smiled with the final keystroke. Rose from the console and up into the maintenance shaft to rejoin the others.

~!~

Fuckin' 'Golls were some of the worst things he had ever had the misfortune to see in his life. Just kind of pushed together; if an eye fell out, shove a robotic one in, got a piece shot off? Torn off? Bitten off? Attach a new one, 'cept... they never seemed to do it right. They always had a cooked smell to 'em. Their cybernetics ran hot and the muscle and skin that came in contact with the metal started to crisp until they replaced that too. More opiates running through a single Visigoll than Johns could even think of shooting up. Well, maybe not now. Course that bastard was dead and Riddick was running as far from the mercs and monsters chasing him as he could right now. Led them on just a bit of a chase, had more than a few to take out just for getting too close.

Better that they'd split up with the way things were goin' and whatever River had done when she'd gone off on her way had the whole fuckin' ship goin' crazy. Didn't mean he liked runnin' around by himself; Jack didn't count. Still a kid and too far behind to be of any god damn use except to get his ass shot. Oh but he'd let himself get soft without meaning to, and having something to protect had been kind of nice for a while. Not for him though. And certainly not with the girl running around screaming his name.

The mercs didn't even scream as Riddick moved through them efficiently. Didn't even stop to see who they were or if they were dead. Didn't listen as Jack tried to talk him into grabbing their gear.

Where the fuck was River? He needed Jack off of his ass yesterday. His lips twitched; he literally could have ditched her ass yesterday.

"Shoulda' gone with Imam," He growled as the ducked through passages and in between pipes. That hum came with a built in map this time and he got his bearings quick enough for it to flicker away without much issue. "Need you to climb up one deck and catch up with Shazza and Imam."

"But-"

"Wait there."

"You better show up," Jack threatened him. Tried to anyhow. He didn't give much more time to speak before he pushed her into one of those maintenance tubes everyone seemed so keen on and dented it so she couldn't come after. No sensors in 'em for some goddamn reason, and damn if that wasn't a nice idea, but that thing chasing him knew his blood and would tear the ship apart to get it. Not much point in hiding where there wasn't sensors if it gave everyone away.

Riddick kept on, stripped his shirt off with the intent to distract the thing at the next dead end. Didn't like 'Golls, didn't like the smell or the look of 'em, but he knew how to kill one, and he couldn't fault them for trying and doing what they did best. He just hoped they'd extend the same courtesy.

"She is not going to walk with him if he puts that thing back on."

"Wasn't planning on it," he grinned up at the now open grating. Figured she'd wait for things to die down, didn't it? Just sittin' there like some kind of fairy and smelling like grapes.

"Had everything completely under control." She waved it away like a bug was bothering her. "Time is ticking and boys who are girls are such a handful."

She pushed herself out from the shaft and he could see the medkit in her hands as well as a shirt for him. That was tucked into her belt though, black against all that white like a stain. Brought a bit of calm with her when she came near him and he could almost see the stats of everyone floating around her head. Her crazy was catching.

"Sharing is caring," she countered as she handed him the kit to hold while she put some basic patches on him. Some of that numbing gauze she'd slapped onto Shazza last night and some chemical that got rid of the smell of his blood. Broke it down and let it just flake off.

"Takin' a real shower after all this shit," he grumbled as she wiped her hands off with a wet nap. Could tell form her face she didn't like it any more than he did. "Get back in. Gotta see what the kids are doing."

"Ali is very well behaved," she sang over her shoulder before slipping in. "It's his that is getting into trouble."

"Not mine," he argued, following her into the jeffery's tube. He couldn't see her ass as well as he'd hoped, not with that goddamn skirt filling the darkness with radiant light. "Takin' lead."

"Doesn't even know where he's going." Her protest was given while he dragged her under him. Pouting lips and lightly knit brows made that fresh scent come closer. Perfect under him and just waiting for him to kiss her. Why shouldn't he? River wasn't the right name for her, not when she smelled like the earth after a rain, still had that grapes scent, but this was like the whole vineyard was right there. "Is she an acceptable vintage?"

"From what I've tasted so far," he grinned against her lips. Wasn't giving him one of those trick questions; didn't even know if she was capable of asking trick questions like every other dame in the universe. "C'mon Beautiful, gotta get to the ship your boy picked out."

"The Bebop," she hummed as she slid further under him. Letting him take the lead in this cramped fuckin' space and makin' him rethink the choice to hurry along. "Has a smaller ship on board for quick runs and fly-bys."

"Does it?" He bent to watch her curls goin' down and started moving through the slightly bigger than a ventilation shaft space. Got to be on his hands and knees instead of his belly. Joy of fuckin' joys.

"Oh yes, well equipped too. Claws to match and speed to shake at. Giving him a way out to keep itchy feet from wearing holes in the ground."

Her scent was stronger up here in the shaft, so close to him and bein' more accommodating than most of the people he'd known before his days in the penal system.

"Will let him take the next one too," she hummed after they'd been moving for a few minutes.

Didn't take much to get where they needed to and the scent of other...animals, came at him like they were all just waiting for him. They weren't there when he came out though. Just kind of inhabiting the space before and moving along not long ago. There was a door waiting on one side of the room; led out to the ships and their escape.

"The next fight?" He could feel her look on the back of his head. "What? Too big for you to take on yourself?"

"Made a promise." River smiled and handed him the knife from before. The knife he was planning to bury in Junner's eye. She'd fixed it just a bit, balanced it a little more for him

"Man of my word."

"Good to know," she smiled. Went up on her tiptoes to get closer to his lips and slender arms went around his neck. "Is it greedy if she asks for his spleen?"

"Spleen?" Not greedy to ask, but damn confusing as to why she'd want something like that. "What the fuck does a spleen even do?"

"Filters out the bad blood," she kissed him softly. "Want to know if he even has one really."

"Doubt it." He kissed her back and gave the flesh of her ass a squeeze before turning to the door. "Run to the ship, make sure everyone's on board. Got it?"

"Clear like crystal," she spoke. Voice was as clear as he was. "One-two-three-go!"

Riddick barely dodged the butt of Junner's rifle, caught him in the chin, and River was just able to get out from between them. Stupid fuck tried to go after her, but the flash of a blade and of armed folk waiting by their ship of choice made him pause just a bit.

"Thought you wanted to impress Mommy Dearest?" Riddick taunted the man as he swung at him from behind.

~!~

"That's the one you picked?" Chiana asked from beside River's feet.

"Mm, didn't intend to, just sort of happened."

"She's not picking out her china though," Shazza pointed out. She had Jack under one arm, mouth taped shut and hands ziptied so she'd stay out of gorram trouble. "Been over that one before."

"Twice married and neither intentional," River pouted. Others were on the ship and on the ship, playing with their tormentors or trying to set a course home. One man was treating Imam in the tiny infirmary while Ali explained the ship to one who identified with neither gender and both. None so entertaining as the battle taking place before her. Fists to skin and breaking bones with each strike.

"Third times a charm then," Chiana teased. "Maybe you can get married at Home? See if your gran is there, get some big thing together, it'll be a blast."

"Thinking ideas that have no business being." River watched with pride as the beast played with his prey. All his to play with as they saw fit. Wondered if she could kick the Collector's head out and make things really wild. No. It would be cruel and more mess than she desired. Blood was already pooling in the cargo bay behind her and the woman's gun was locked up in the ship's armory. Bullet to the brainpan. Squish.

More mercy than she deserved.

"Man of his word," she whispered as Riddick saw his opening and went for it. Done playing with the man with the stupid name and the crazy mother. The one eyed man would never be king in a world of shadows.

The beast turned to them, bloodied again and too tired to keep performing and painting. The girl reached over and activated the comm.

"Final boarding call for the Bebop," she sang out. "T-minus five minutes before we fly away home."

Stopped playing across the ship. Up into the vents or running down halls to get back to where the bus waited to carry them away. Furyan of Legend and Prophecy Girl were done with their games and the tribe was growing. How many were still home? Didn't know of the silent screams of the home world but to see the death would bring the wrath of Furya upon those who dared.

"Gettin' wooly."

"Somewhat. Stronger now than before, harder to block out when thoughts scream in her brain and ache in her bones, devouring all they can until the things she's knit fall away into fragments of yarn."

Beast raised a brow and looked over those who'd stayed beside her instead of playing. Didn't find them wanting, merely found them to exist. Didn't know, didn't care, just wanted to sleep for a bit. Waited until the others came through before leaving the ramp though. Wanted to see the Killer of Men and the ones who'd watched him in a private moment. One, Two, Three of them popping up all around them and dashing on board with cheeky grins and satisfied looks upon their faces.

"Where to Cap'n?" Chiana asked with a grin. Waiting for River to speak or wave the question off. Waiting, waiting, waiting with minds ready to step up and fight for her role if she ignored it. Survival of the fittest; Law of the land.

"New Mecca was the original destination," she answered. Pressed the comm once more. "Set a course for Helion System, need to pick up supplies before the journey is made."

So much to do and so little time to make sure it went to plan. Capn' Daddy needed help as much as her reclaimed people did. Whole verse was falling apart and she would save enough for herself and those who were hers.

"Chiana, need stock of what's in the infirmary, as well as a check list of medkits throughout. Have Cookie look over the pantry and get someone to see about water." Become Sarge's Girl until she could collapse on a soft bed and wash up some. "Shazza, need you to see about bunks and then take a rest. Someone find out when dinner is too."

Turned to The Beast. Saw him looking over the ship that was waiting for him in the Bebop's bay.

"I shall be showering and seeing about some kind of clothing." Knew which room was the captain's room. Ship like this belonged to none before she'd claimed it, used as a tool or a ploy, not as a home. Could become as such. "Will go over rules after dinner."

"Aye aye Captain," Shazza gave her a small smile. Knew what the girl was doing and thankful for the time to cry. Chiana as well before she took off and left only the girl and the Beast in the bay.

She was watching him. Covered in blood and muck, stale sex and sweat mixing together and reminding anyone who looked that she'd made it through a hell of a lot in these last few days. All of 'em had. She was just watching him though. Watching as he looked over the one man ship she'd grabbed up for him. Faster than most, no cryo inside of it but that wasn't a problem for a ship like this. Swordfish...

"Captain's quarters have a private head," she finally hummed. Gave her a glance and the dreamy eyed woman had him. Hook line and fuckin' sinker with the way she was swaying. "Should bathe now, before the others wake and the pressure drops."

"No pressure..." He grinned before glancing up at the ceiling. Saw the seam where it would open to let him loose when he finally decided to kick dirt. The lights in the bay dimmed and he flexed automatically.

"Handled by the bridge," she explained as she started up the stairs. "Dim enough for those with the stars in their eyes to see, bright enough for those who must hunt in the light."

Riddick gave it a minutes thought. Worst case scenario, he'd had to kill a few fucks before he could bail.

~!~!~

"What the hell do you mean?" Simon shouted at the man in front of him. "We've got to go and get her!"

"Boy, you might wanna speak to me in a more personable tone." Mal's voice was cool when he looked into Simon's eyes. "Your sister and I made a deal. Sides, not like we don't know where she is."

"You know where she is?" Simon asked incredulously. "Then tell me, and I will got and get her."

"No. No, I ain't doin' no such thing," Mal shook his head. "River's got as much a right to wander about as any other person in this verse."

"Mal, please be serious," Inara tried.

The whole crew was sitting in the kitchen for tea or coffee or just to clean their guns when the fight had spilled in from the bay. Simon was chasing Mal around like a small dog and their captain, while patient, was starting to look a little be thin in that department.

"I am being quite serious," Mal looked over at her. "She's headed off to the Tangiers System, place the Alliance don't even like goin' for business."

"Because it's full of cut-throats and Madmen," Simon nearly shouted. "The latter of which I am beginning to see in you."

"Ain't that bad," Jayne snorted. "What? Hey don't y'all look at me like that. Been just about e'erywhere in this 'verse for some reason or other. Only reason folks in Alliance Space think it's all halfway to hell is cause each planet's got it's own government 'cept fer maybe six of 'em."

"Propaganda," Zoe spoke low and quiet. "Still don't change that River's out there in it."

"No, it don't," Mal agreed. "But like I said, Riv's a woman grown, had her head on straight for near to three years now, so like any father, I gave her a gun and let her kick on...after I put a tracker on her." Simon opened his mouth and Mal pointed a finger at him. "If I find out you've gone off after her, we're goin' to have some problems, _dong ma_? She should be checkin' in within' a few hours, made her promise to send a wave. Looks like she's off her rock or in need of a daring rescue, we go."

"Why do we have to wait for her to loose her mind?" Simon demanded.

"She looks healthy, happy, and sane," Mal continued. "I'm orderin' us to the next stop and keepin' your body far away from hers."

"Did she give any mention of where she wanted to go?" Wash asked before Simon could speak up again. "Seemed mighty interested in some of the star charts now that I think on it."

"Mentioned something about getting in touch with her homeland." Mal watched Simon's face twist and contort before it flushed red and purple and then pale as the grave. "Suppose you know somethin' about that?"

"No. Because I was born a male." Simon's tone was clipped and hard as he glowered a the table. "I was never very...acceptable to our grandmother. If River's gone to Furya, I don't know where she is. I'll never find her!"

"Her choice Doc," Jayne shrugged. "Course, iffin I had someone callin' me a whore every time I put on some fancy new clothes, I'd probably kill 'em."

"Aw, she's likes you," Wash smiled at Simon. "Maybe more than your grandmother even!"

"My grandmother threatened to kill me in my sleep if I didn't take martial arts classes," Simon scowled. "It's easy for anyone to like me more than Grandmother."

"She sounds delightful," Wash nodded was a bit of shock and sarcasm. "Good thing River likes you a bit more than all that. Enough to not kill you for calling her nasty names, and still send the occasional check-in video."

Mal waited for the mail to arrive with half of his crew standing behind him. For once since they'd kicked off from Persephone, Simon wasn't trying to sneak off in a shuttle or shout at him to go and get River. All the silence had something to do with the pending vid-letter from his Lil' Tross. It was being delivered to the ship though instead of letting Mal go and collect it. Apparently, it was being brought around by someone seeking passage to New Melbourne. Didn't make Mal very happy to have someone coming on board, but money was money and the doc could stuff it. Did he honestly think Mal wasn't agonizing over the same things? Riv weren't his daughter in the natural way, but she was as good as and seein' her go off into the 'verse alone, lookin' fragile as a flower. Scary worlds out there, ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, Quicksand! Cannibals and snakes, the plague...also large bugs, men with pointy teeth and...Stop.

"No more," Mal shook his head. "Just upsetting myself."

"You always did have a habit of that."

"But..." Mal looked at the woman who'd argued with his inner monologue without knowing it and nearly felt his jaw hit the floor. "Shazza?"

"One and only," she smiled at him. Wasn't the woman he remembered though. Had a lot of pain goin' on behind her eyes and the kid next to her looked about ready to run right back the way she came. Shazza dug around in a beat up bag and pulled out a parcel "Got a package for you. Home video from your girl."

"You met up with River?" Mal asked. Everyone froze to hear that and watched as Shazza pushed the girl beside her in front and onto the ship. "Where?"

"Met her on a dismal little planet, and I will be happy to answer your questions once we've started flying and After I see what the hell that girl put on this thing." Shazza handed the recording to Mal. "And if you can get the two of us to New Mel, I'll have a very nice fee for you."

"And a bigger one if we help you get back off?" Zoe asked. She had a bit of a smile on her face as well. "Come on, we'll get you and the kid squared away."

"Not a kid," the kid argued. "My name is Jack."

"Look like a kid to me," Jayne snorted and turned to head up to the kitchen. "Let's go watch Moony's postcard and get our fee."

"_Hit dirt now, New Mecca all around." _

_The screen showed bright blue harbours and a few passing ships, as well as a couple of patrol jets up in the sky. A bright and beautiful city was spread out on the land and the golden domes of temples were blinking up at them while an elaborate black sculpture rose up from the glimmering buildings. Focus swung around to see people lazing around on the deck of a ship. Had a bit of everything on there. Men and women of various builds and a young boy sitting next to a large male who watched as the kid worked on a piece of something. Some folks were cleaning guns while others sharpened weapons._

"_Bebop's crew, lazy as cats." Someone looked up and flipped her off. The camera swung about to show River's face. "Make the family look positively proactive."_

_It flickered for a moment and the inside of the ship was shown. Someone was filming River as she sat with the kid from before. The two of them were debating the practicality of Haye's Theory as opposed to Grammauld's Thesis on the matter of interstellar flight. A large black man was standing at the stove cooking while a small and fair girl was sitting on the counter talking to him. Shazza and Jack could be heard arguing off screen about something. Everyone was seen except the man from earlier. The one who watched over the boy in River's lap. _

_It flickered again and someone's house could be seen, the large man from before stepping out and giving Shazza, Jack, and a wiry black man a grin. Downright devilish look that man had. _

"_You makin' a documentary Beautiful?" The man had a deep voice and the kind of casual air River would get after she'd cut someone's legs off. _

"_Postcards home," River hummed from behind the camera. "Ge-ge will no doubt be chafing to know his dearest, darlingest, most fragile flower of a sister is out on her own in the big, scary, lonesome, universe." The man raised a brow. "Grandmother tried to drown him. Believes he has some damage to his brain."_

"_Beautiful, you got some strange folks."_

"_The very strangest," River's laugh carried out as they started walking through the streets. There was the sound of shimmering bells and the laughter of children. "Chiana has ensured the ship is stocked up and Cookie is pleased to know he has full run of the kitchen."_

"_Yeah, they get a decent bed?"_

_The image flickered again and River was being filmed again. The room was dim and the video was in ultraviolet, coloring River as some sort of ethereal fairy creature wrapped up in silks and little else. Dark hair was spread out across the pillow that was someone's lap and a large hand was running through the curls. The bed mentioned just before was under the both of them and the room itself looked pretty damn big; bigger than Mal's even. The room was visible just beyond the scope of everything, someone's pants hanging off of a chair, gun belts and knife belts and something unfriendly looking on the wall, but the focus never shifted away from River. Not even when the man from before spoke._

"_Beautiful woman," his voice rumbled out. Made the entire room seem to shake and anyone watching would probably feel it in their bones. "Strong survival skills, ship of her own, and better knife work than I've seen in a long while." The hand kept going through her hair until she shifted in his lap and turned to face the wall. Skin flashed and a soft growl came out from his lips. "Found home and a crew, but she ain't stayin' long."_

_It turned to show a man with glowing eyes and a glower on his face. _

"_Be back in a few, got some unfinished business with our respective Academies that needs taking care of."_

Mal sat back and stared at the now black view screen. River had found herself a ship, a crew, and a big scary psycho to go tear down the world with. This was after the crashing, the monsters, the running, the mercenaries, and then another dose of mercenaries. Ruffians, thugs, sand, men with pointy teeth and bugs! Everything he'd panicked about, she'd found and...kicked their gorram _pi gu_ into the dust before going back for more.

"Well, looks like she's doing mighty fine for herself."

"Mal, she has some...some ruffian, some thug! Holding her naked in his bed!" Simon shouted.

"Got married, didn't they?" Shazza asked. She had a bowl of protein in hand and was speaking around it very casually. Simon's mouth did a very good impression of a fish while everyone else turned to look at her in shock. Even Mal couldn't stop his eyes from widening and his mouth from opening and closing a few times.

"Say that again?" Inara asked. She'd dropped her teacup while choking and was now trying to put that information together.

"Imam did it while we were stuck on Hades," Jack nodded. "Kind of like a New Vegas thing, you know? We were all about to die and Ali wanted to have some parents again and Imam wanted to feel useful, so they got hitched to boost morale." Simon relaxed only barely until Shazza spoke up again. Then his careful mind began to fall apart.

"And then again on that bloody merc ship," She rolled her eyes. "Some kind of ritual from Furya, seemed like it had a bit more weight to it than when Imam did it." She took another bite. "Chiana's been over the bloody moon about it; apparently it's the first Furyan wedding in almost three decades."

"That's because almost everyone is dead," Simon scowled. "They can get it annulled once they land, I'm sure. There's hardly any men, he'd have his pick of healthy, able bodied women-"

"Simon," Kaylee gasped. "Why'd you say something like that? River deserves to get married much as the next gal. And she's plenty healthy!"

"She's not well Kaylee," Simon argued.

"She seemed really healthy to me," Jack argued.

"Maybe in body, but her mind-"

"Her mind is really handy," Shazza laughed lightly. "She ever do that video game thing for you guys? Where the stats of your crew kind of pop up in your head and there's a map of where you are?" She looked about. "No?"

"Once," Jayne nodded slowly. "Kinda blurry though. Got pinned down by some of Coyote's men, back on Britex, remember?" Mal and Zoe nodded. "Got this kind of fuzzzy lookin' map in my head and a green light by this idea of you two."

"Seemed pretty damn clear when I got it on Kublai Kahn," Shazza shook her head. "Could see what sort of weapons everyone had, including how much ammo."

"Means she's been practicing her skills." Mal hooked his thumbs through his belt. "Been gettin' better, little by little while she was with us, never said much of it unless it was just us on the bridge, but after Miranda..."

"Nothing really happened," Inara nodded. She paused and looked to Shazza. "He said something about 'his' academy."

"He's an operative," Simon grit out. "You let my sister go off with-"

"They got Ilaria Corporation out in that part of space," Shazza interrupted him. "Bit like our Blue Sun and that other one, oh damn, it's-"

"Godfrey Institute," Jack spoke up. "My parents used to work in their research department. Both of them have private armies, but Godfrey has the stronger one. My dad let a file slip once, that's how I found out about Riddick. See, they were trying to clone him, and make the perfect soldier because he defected and killed a bunch of their Black Ops guys."

"So he's an unstable operative with a massive bounty on his head," Simon took it as justification.

"No he's not!" Jack shouted back at him. "He had to run for reporting his commanding officer for slavery and he told the wrong guy!" Jack was close to standing up now as she shouted at Simon. "My mom told me so before the Godfrey fuckers killed her!"

Shazza tried to pull the girl down to sit while the crew sat silent in their seats. A whole lot to absorb at once. High chance it might take the better part of a week to let it all sink in real good. Zoe was the one to recover from Jack's outburst first, putting a coin in the swear jar she'd insisted on since finding out she was going to have a child.

"You can pay me back later," Zoe told her in no uncertain terms. "River's got a ship full of big scary guys and gals, heading off to meet her granny, and far from the Alliance. Seems like she's pretty safe to me. Know she's got the skills to take out an Operative too, I still can't get Jaqen's blood out of the table cloth."

Eyes focused on the brownish stain on the coffee table and remembered when a man's head had fallen and rolled across it and to the floor. All eyes except for those of Jack and Shazza, who saw the stain and wondered.

"Not exactly a fragile flower," Zoe spoke again. "Already said we'd see her again, right? Know she can chop anyone who disagrees with her to pieces, monsters included. Know she's saved my skin more than once with her brain too. I agree with Mal, let her have some fun. She deserves it."

~!~

River gasped as lust simmered through the air and through her brain. Barely awake before and the wave of hunger and need had washed over her before she could get any real bearing beyond where she was and who she was with. The Beast was behind her, nose buried in her hair as sleep fogged minds brushed across one another and hard muscles held her against his body. Woke up with her, dreaming of things that carried through and made her gasp in her sleep as her own thoughts mirrored back into his head and it built up all around them. A rough hand was clasping her breast as they'd fallen asleep last night and now it squeezed and caressed and pinched until she was gasping and squirming against him.

There were lips and teeth against her neck, biting and tasting as she gasped and arched into his touch.

"Oh but she needs more," she breathed against the skin of his arm that rest under her head.

"I like this," he grinned against her skin. Pinched her nipple harder and she cried out as it jolted through her nerves and made her weep for the feel of it. "Got you trapped." The hand on her hip slid down across her ass before it moved to dip between her legs and tease her. "Writhing up against my dick...Beautiful, I'm likin' this." Riddick caught her ears between his teeth before suckling on the skin beneath it and bring a moan out. "Know you are too."

Of course he did. Fingers slipped into her and she whimpered for him. Let him play her like an instrument in his lap and blue flickered all around her. Let him feed the flames until all she had was his scent and his touch and lips on her skin. Thrusting his fingers inside of her while he leaked his fluids upon her back and growled. Liked to tease her as much as she did. Let him do it, begged hi to do it until she was a mess in his arms. Until those thrusts against her skin demanded he flip her under him and fuck her until she couldn't see.

"Please, please stop teasing her," she cried as he toyed with her woman hood and her breast. "Begging him to take her. Begging the Beast to mount her!"

He did. Screamed for it when he slid into her and fingers dug into her hips. Screamed his name as the bed shook from the force of it. Bruises later, but his thrusts now, nips and kisses and those damnable teasing fingers stroking her until the world seemed to explode around her. Still didn't stop. Drew it out and brought her to tears as he built the fires again. Could do nothing but hold on and moan for the Riddick behind her.

"Come on Beautiful, wanna hear you scream again."

Harder and faster until her vision spotted again and she scent of him grew stronger. Touching her everywhere and kissing her harder as the sounds of his growls and her moans echoed in the air around them. Too much, watched world fall apart and Blue erupted between them as she felt him jerking and twitching inside of her. Felt herself fall apart as she screamed his name to the depths of the Black. Tremors wracking her body as she felt him tense behind her, still holding her up against his chest and pulling her tighter against his hips as he emptied himself within her.

"Good morning," she sighed some moments later. Still hadn't pulled out from her. Still laying on their sides, arm pillowing her head and face buried in her hair. Didn't speak, usually didn't since they left New Mecca. Not unless it was to pick a fight with one of the boys or he needed to talk to her. Or he wanted to fuck her silly.

"Had an idea last night," he kissed along her neck.

"Has lots of ideas," she adjusted to let him explore. "Will she need special equipment?"

Made the Riddick chuckle and the sound of it was delicious.

"Nah, not yet. Different kind of idea. Kids where you've got blood soaking through to your skin and a bunch of dead folk all around you." Not such a bad thought going through his mind; degraded towards the end when he took her over the desk of his old drill master. "Got a few things to do first. Like dropping off some men and women."

"He should start to wean himself off if he plans to go without for very long," River kissed the skin of his arm. "Still can't understand why he would choose and ice planet."

"Because it's not the desert."

"It is without sex though. She is able to satiate herself with memories and dreams and things that run on batteries in the jungles." Wouldn't look for another man; limited supply and already wed. Even if, she'd wake up to find him dead while Riddick reclaimed her. "Wish him luck. Will give him protein to last a year and check back in time."

"Saint River, compassionate to convicts, killers, and genius children." He nipped at her shoulder and started to lay back on the bed.

"Someone aught to be," She shrugged and smiled. Turned just enough so he could feel it in the dark. "Need to get up soon. Ali will be having nightmares and the crew wants to know when we will land."

"Later today, maybe five hours, six max."

"Should she keep your ship then?" River asked. "Might need to make a run for it."

"Only people who know where I'm at are on this ship or New Mecca." Riddick let himself wake up further and his starry eyes grew wider in the dark as he awoke. "And I know the ones here aren't about to go rat me out to mercs."

Running to the land of fair folk, where nothing was real but the dream of those long dead and a myth for a new world. Cleaned up and dressed eventually; ship life was something she knew as well as survival life so falling into routine was simple enough. No need to emulate Captain Daddy as she went to comfort the genius child who had spent too long in the dark. Didn't fear the dark itself, but the things that bit inside of it.

Hushed whispers and cool hands on an overheated forehead while the Beast remained outside and woke the Killer of Men. Preferred Cookie to such an abysmal title. Preferred to work in a kitchen and create but would happily destroy those who stood in his way. Never accused of poisoning; would ruin the flavor of his dish to do so. Death came at the end of a butcher's knife and served hot with chili sauce. Sincerely hoped she would not end up eating one of his enemies.

"Come, we shall go up into the den of beasts and see that there is nothing to fear." Held tightly to her and wished she wouldn't leave him. Silly boy. Would learn very soon that there was little to fear in this world so long as you knew how to survive. "Come, time to say our farewells, the Beast will be leaving soon."

"Why?" Ali asked before she made him stand.

"Mercs on his neck, more concerned for vengeance and the shiny cashy money his head will bring than a couple of people who made off with a ship." Kissed his head gently and pulled him up beside her. "Should not worry, we will see him again and see worlds only dreamed of."

~!~!~!~

Oh my god I'm exhausted. Seriously. Just, completely exhausted. Dead Week is upon me, for those who don't know, that's the week before college finals, and i'm pretty much going to be dead to the world for the next 2 weeks at least. One week of studying and one of slowly dying in an effort to get my Bachelor's degree; sadly, my graduation got pushed back because of a stupid clerical glitch and a dumb journalism class (wtf? Journalism? Seriously?) but on the upside, I get to take an elective design class and another film class. So, groovy. Having said that, please review, but don't get on my case about updating soon or trying to write anything. Seriously.

Also, who caught Mal's Mother Gothel moment? Huh? Huh? Hahaha, I had to, I just had to, ya know? I've got the right to put in little bits of songs as much as anyone else :D

Good Luck with Finals Y'all!


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